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The Micronauts
The Micronauts are a group of heroes from the Microverse, a microscopic dimension. They started as a toyline which was later adapted in a comic book series by Marvel. The Micronauts comic books featuring a group of characters based on the Mego Micronauts toy line. The first title was published by Marvel Comics in 1979, with both original characters and characters based on the toys. Marvel published two Micronauts series, mostly written by Bill Mantlo, who also made the Rom Spaceknight comic series, until 1986, well after the toy line was cancelled in 1980. In the 2000s, Image Comics and Devil's Due Publishing each briefly published their own Micronauts series. Byron Preiss Visual Publications also published three paperback novels based on the Micronauts. In July 2015, IDW Publishing announced that they would publish a new comic book series. Story The Micronauts originate in the Microverse, a microscopic series of diverse habitats that are linked together in the fashion of molecule chains. The original team comes together in response to the threat posed by former academic and now murderous dictator, Baron Karza. Commander Arcturus Rann, returning from a thousand-year deep space voyage in suspended animation, and Biotron, his robot co-pilot, return on the HMS (Homeworld Micro Ship) Endeavor, to discover Karza has slain the royal family, who are in fact Rann's parents. What follows is an epic war across the Microverse pitting Rann and his allies against Karza. In addition to Biotron, Rann's team of "Micronauts" includes Princess Mari of Homeworld, who, with her brother, Prince Argon, are the only survivors of the slaughtered royal family. Known to the team as Marionette, she falls in love with Rann, and leads the team on occasion. The warriors Acroyear and Bug also join Rann's cause, and although completely different - one a noble warrior prince and the other a joking insectoid - the two become best friends and staunch allies of all Micronauts. The last member of the original team is Microtron, Mari's robot tutor. Although small, Microtron is a very resourceful R2-D2-style character and very supportive of all team members. After being trapped for a time on Earth where they enlarge to the size of toys, the team returns to the Microverse. After a series of battles against Karza and his genetically-engineered armies the Dog Soldiers, the Micronauts triumph and Karza is apparently killed. Rann is able to claim victory with the possession of the Enigma Force - a semi-sentient power source that bonded with him during his period of suspended animation - which enables him to perform incredible feats. The team then encounters the superhero team the Fantastic Four, who have traveled to a different region of the Microverse to battle the villain Psycho-Man. Unfortunately, Bug's love, Jasmine, is killed during the climax of the battle. It is shortly after this encounter that the Micronauts again become trapped on Earth, at a greatly reduced size. After encounters with the villains Plantman and Molecule Man, the team battle the Fixer and Mentallo, who have allied themselves with the organization HYDRA. Joined by one of Acroyear's people - Dagon - the team discovers that the villains and HYDRA are secretly under the control of Baron Karza, who, courtesy of Prince Argon's body, is able to resurrect himself. Although the organization S.H.I.E.L.D. and several representatives of the races of the Microverse help the Micronauts finally defeat Karza, the battle is costly. Biotron is destroyed by Dagon - an agent of Karza; Bug's Queen dies in battle; Rann is rendered comatose and Acroyear's traitorous brother Shaitan dies summoning the Worldmind - the parallel power to the Enigma Force that sustains their own homeworld. In desperation, Acroyear bonds with the Worldmind to defeat Karza but in doing so destroys his world. While trying to awaken Rann, the remnants of the team have an encounter with the villain Nightmare and accidentally discover that the Microverse is unraveling. A warning left in Rann's mind reveals that three keys will restore balance to the Microverse. The team embarks on a new quest across three new regions of the Microverse: Oceania, Polaria, and the Dead Zone. The Micronauts are eventually successful, and also acquire several teammates, including the bestial Devil and his companion Fireflyte and the robot Nanotron. A new problem arises when Prince Argon begins displaying paranoia regarding the Micronauts, and eventually sends a special Death Squad to kill them. The Micronauts defeat the unit, and then encounter the mutant Nightcrawler and battle a new foe called Huntarr. Huntarr is genetically engineered by Argon to destroy the Micronauts, but Marionette makes him see that Argon is simply using him. A war against Argon and his forces follows, with several beings from various locations in the Microverse - Pharoid, Slug and Margrace - joining the team in a bid to stop Argon. After several more encounters with beings such as Doctor Doom, the heroine the Wasp, and villain Arcade. Microtron and Nanotron sacrifice themselves to reanimate Biotron's consciousness in the Micronauts' new vessel. Argon is finally revealed to be controlled by the spirit of Baron Karza, who returns once more. Karza kills Argon, and deals the Micronauts a crushing defeat by killing Devil, Pharoid, Slug and Margrave. After regrouping and a series of skirmishes, the remaining Micronauts confront and defeat Karza once and for all. Members *'Acroyear' - Former king of Spartak *'Biotron' - A robot who accompanied Arcturus Rann on his 1,000 year mission *'Bug' - A master thief from the planet of Kaliklak. He later joins the Guardians of the Galaxy *'Cilicia' - Mother of Acroyear's child, as well as one of his subjects from Spartak *'Devil' - A member of a race of creatures from Tropica *'Fireflyte' - Part of a race that is the good part of the Devils on Tropica *'Huntarr' - Iann-23, mutated by Karza's Body Banks in order to attack the Micronauts. Joined the team instead to take revenge for the monstrous appearance this caused. *'Marionette' - Princess Mari, daughter of the slain rulers of Homeworld *'Microtron' - Personal robot of Marionette *'Nanotron' - A roboid (part organic, part machine) who served as Microton's personal assistant *'Arcturus Rann' - Explorer who returned from a 1,000 year mission, only to find his world taken over by Karza *'Scion' - Descendent of the Makers. Savior of the Microverse. Originally found as an egg *'Solitaire' - A Prime Being with metamorphing powers Category:Marvel Heroes Category:Teams Category:Toyline Heroes Category:Aliens Category:Humanoid Category:Artificial Intelligence Category:Comic Book Heroes Category:Freedom Fighters Category:Rebellion Heroes